Exhibiton visits
Last Sunday we went to Brørup, Jutland to see an exhibition.
My friend and her baby Jack Russel were attaining the exhibition. We were just watching.
I did it mainly to make Pandora get used to many dogs at once.
We arrived around 11 am.
When we opened the door, still in the lobby, she sat down shaking. She couldn’t see the other dogs, but she could smell them.
Last time we went to an exhibition was when we saw Rolf, Xtreme and Uno. At that time, Pandora was so preoccupied with the boys that she didn’t recognise that she went in to the big hall with a bunch of dog. This time she was on her own, wide awake and very much on foreign ground.
But after 10 minutes she pulled herself together and went into the hall with us. In the beginning she wanted to greet every one dog in there, but soon she figured out that it wasn’t possible. After a while she calmed down. Of course she was curious, but she could control it.

A very tired Jack Russel baby

Hairdressers battle
Oh my. I must say that dog owners are different. Of course they are. For all four hours we were there we watched a couple with their two Yorkshire Terries nursing them, combing them, putting bows in the hair and so on. I couldn’t help wondering why they were not hairdressers by occupation. Weird dogs with clothes, trench coats, jumpsuits, you name it. A special puddle like dog was being treated like a queen, hair spray, trimmed to the last ‘straw’ with a scissor, powdered and perfumed. The dog was obviously used to it. It sat completely still.
Pandora sat down and watched in her ‘give me time to see this’-kind of mode. To her big surprise the puddle suddenly moved and Pandora jumped backwards in chock. I bet she thought it was a teddy bear.

Slaves in line
We went outside where there was a competition in obedience.
That was (of course) completely different breeds. Wauw, what some of these dogs could do with their human J
Actually I have thought a lot about starting obedience training with Pandora but after watching the combatants for a while I got quite disillusioned. A lot of these dogs don’t act like individuals – but like slaves.
I’m sorry. I don’t like it. And it always makes me think that these results are not just based on respect and joy but also on fear and force. I think I’ll try to train Pandora in some of these disciplines but I’ll never use force or physical punishment. If we can’t go far enough without that, we’ll just have to NOT be no. 1.
Anyway, I hate the word: Obedience.

The nightmare on Mill Street
Well, well, Tuesday we went to ring training to see how Pandora would behave among so many other dogs.
Ehh, she went crazy. She wanted to play with each and every one of them, but fell particularly in love with the enemy, an 8 month old Irish Wolfhound named Otto.

The teacher said it was all right that Pandora was a little uptight as she was so young. She did have the time of her life and it was very good for her. We will definitely go again.
But a funny little happening was as we had just arrived and a woman came over to me and said:

“Can I ask you what kinda dog that is?”
“It’s a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog” I replied, not without pride.
“Which means a breed between a wolf and a …?”
“German Shepherd” I answered.
“Isn’t it a nightmare?”
I was really surprised of her comment. A nightmare?
“No she is not”, I replied wanting to tell all sorts of good stuff, but she just turned on her heel and left.

Rude, I thought. She actually insinuated bad things about my dog. How could she?
I was also surprised of myself. I was really offended. Perhaps I was too sensitive, but really …

At least I brought a very tired dog home that night. But as we came home it was like she couldn’t really rest. She was wandering around in the house. Not crossing any speed limits, but just shuffling from room to room.
(The ring training is arranged by the Danish Kennel Klub, and cost 30 D kr (app. 5 Euro) for one session.)
(NB! Mill Street is where we live)

Pandora the nightmare

Terror for half a year
This last week she has definitely been working herself up. Monday she tore a teddy bear to pieces, Tuesday she managed to push a glass full of chilli to the floor so it smashed to small fragments. Both while she was alone. Luckily she didn’t get hurt or cut herself.
My farther’s conclusion was: “From a dog is four months old until it’s a year old, they will try to rip things apart. After that, they might calm down.”
I bet he is right. It fits the terms of the dogs need to get independent.
I can feel now that I have to be more consistent. There can no longer for instance, be times when she can jump up and other times when she cannot. If she should be allowed to jump up it should be by a given order.

Ups
Last night, my husband had to go into the city to a meeting. As he left I thought he had closed the gate to the street.
Later on I let Pandora out of the front door to do whatever a dog does in the dark and after 5-10 minutes I called her in. That was when I saw the missing fence. My heart almost jumped out of my chest. I had just seen a very big truck pass by.
But the darling dog was standing in the middle of the garden, not paying any attention to her possible freedom. Thank god (or whomever).

The week to come
Friday we’ll go swimming again. It’ll probably be the last time with the instructor. After that, we’re on our own.
Sunday is the big exhibition day. We are very excited but our expectations are not too high. But I don’t really care as long as I have such a lovely dog.

Last Wednesday Pandora went to the vet to get the vaccination against Rabies. He checked her bones, eyes, ears and so on and said she was completely healthy and fine.

And she is changing her teeth right now.

We hadn’t noticed that her small front teeth’s had already changed!

This weekend she lost two more teeth’s. One in the upper and one in the lower part of the mouth.

The canine teeth’s are still milk teeth’s.

Shape

Her physical shape is growing. Thursday we went for a walk. It was hot as hell, and after 3,5 km she was thirsty and tired. Until she met a 9 month old bulldog at the lake and with whom she play pretty roughly with for 15 min. I was scared for her health as the bulldog was quite overweight and she suddenly looked fragile. But no worries.

After the play we left the lake and met an Irish Wolfhound. Her ‘supposed enemy no. 1’. But no. It was just another ‘best friend’ – as always.

(Wauw it was big. He must have been close to 1 meter).

Last night we went for a walk and the weather was perfect. Not too hot, not too cold. We walker 3,5 km again and she could have walked twice as much. She was crazily happy, jumping in the air, surveying the fields, catching insects and so on. If complete happiness was ever there for a dog, it was that exact situation.

I’ll walk her tonight again, and Thursday we’ll walk app. 8 km. So I’ll see how well her shape is.

Swimming

Yesterday we also went to the sea (the ocean) for the first time.

The water is app. 18 °C now and we went bathing. Pandora went into the water, and suddenly she was actually swimming on her own initiative. That was great. She didn’t for long as I think she started to freeze a little and not being able to touch the bottom is still scary, but she swam and it looked great. Of course she is a great swimmer, but almost all dogs are.

Teaching

SIT, SHAKE PAW and LAY DOWN is almost in place. STAY and ‘walking in line’ is almost perfect. COME (here) sucks. The upcoming week will be with the focus on COME (here), first in line, then without. In line its easy, without she get’s immediately death. Perhaps her ears are attached to the collar?

UP and DOWN is also important now as people no longer find her cute as she jumps up.

BARK takes a little longer and isn’t that important right now. We train it, when the situations is there.

A little love

Pandora gives us so many hilarious situations, makes us laughs and smile.

The other day she went to sleep in an apple box belonging to a dachshund (Wiener dog).

Sometimes it’s really hard to correct her as she is more amusing than bad.

We love her very much and every day at work I miss her as if she was a little child I had left at daycare.